Testing Friday

It was a dry morning session and made a few set up changes which gave me a best time of 1min53.65 secs, just before I put it into the barrier in the trees. The afternoon was wet so we changed tactics for the test session but I knew what set up was needed for qualifying.

Qualifying.

It rained in the night but when our session was out on track it was dry. I tried to get out early but was about 10th in line. Held up on the first lap I decided to drop back and get a clear run which meant wasting a lap. Got in 2 or 3 good laps and Stanway came by so I thought I would follow him but he went into the tyres and on the last lap there were yellow flags out for him.
I qualified over a second slower than what I was on Friday, so not very good and starting 20th.

Race

An average start getting a run up the hill being past by Terry Roughton and Hilary Howlett. Very close racing for the first lap and got back by Roughton on the same hill as he got held up by Howlett. Spent most of the race chasing Howlett catching on the corners and losing on the straights and then Lewis was getting a run on me on the last lap so when Hilary went off track for some reason I decided to follow him and lost three positions joining at the rear of the pack. Ended up 21st or last, whichever sound best .

Team mate James Fennelow had an accident in qualifying so he started in the B race and after 6 laps his drive shaft came loose ending his race. Other local people, Paul Macmillan had a good first race in his new Saxo finishing 15th. No doubt more to come when the set up gets sorted. Terry Roughton finished 19th. Gary Parkes had a solid race finishing 4th in the b race. Gareth Wright is thinking of taking up rally cross so I’m giving him a few lessons and Martin Boon had a good race for his first time although he didn’t finish for some reason .( Gearbox I think).
The race was won by Tony Scarlett followed by Steve Gordon and Mark Davies with Gordon Macmillan taking his highest finish so far with 4th.

It seems to me that there are still a few sour grapes after a few Peugeots being out qualified in the wet by a Fiesta at Snetterton. It seems a shame they didn’t have the patience to overtake me after the corner on the back straight. With their horsepower it would have been quite easy and less hassle. Any accidents into the first corner were just that and being given a side swipe on the back straight after being overtaken is another thing.Anyway it makes for an interesting atmosphere so we just have to hope for more rain so that I can place the Fiesta further up the grid again. Its a good job its club racing and we’re all out there to have fun!